Week 3: Finding out Systems Requirements

The lecture was about requirement gathering and the skills to find out what we need. In the SDLC phase, we are now in the analysis phase. This is where the system designers sit down with the users or owners of the systems and figure out what are their needs and wants. There are two methods when introducing a new system, briefly explained as either the system wraps around the users or the users adapt to the new system.

The first is not replacing the current work process but just digitising or making it simpler or faster. The new system would produce better effiency from the users.

The other method is replacing certain business processes and streamlining them. Users have to be retrained to use the system. Simply put, the users revolved around the system.

Also we discussed in the lectures about how to ask questions on getting the requirements of the system. If the requirements are not gathered properly, the system might have conflicts with the users or the business process. Also reviewed together with the questions are the paperwork that are used currently. Do we duplicate them in the new system or do we need to redesign them to fit the system?

Joint Application Design(JAD) were highlighted near the ending. A JAD is where the users or stakeholders of the system sits down together with the project team members. Certain resources must be available such as an overhead projector, whiteboard, printer, etc. The sessions' minutes are taken down and documented in case. This would continue the flow of events and even documentation would be easier at the end of the project.

That is about it... My next post would be about my revision on the topic. Most probably would be a review of the questions i would have on hand before i enter the tutorial for the interview.

Week 2 Revised

I took a look at the slides that Rob briskly went through in the last lecture. I would say it was quite abit that he went through rather quickly. Hopefully they are not in the exam. Currently i can see that the main stuff are the diagrams and the study of system designing. I have some background knowledge of systems design but it is just a basics.

I have led a team during my technical studies in Singapore in creating a system where a company, around 15 employees, uses it daily. It was a tough process but it was rather rewarding as the system is still running at its 4th year and the maintenece people are holding up the system rather well. They comment that the system is something that did increase the productivity. I was proud of it. Well... Hopefully my past experience of designing and maintaining a system will help me understand this unit fairly well.

Week 2: SDLC and The Works

I have not attended the previous lecture as i was stuck in Singapore. Long story... But i manage to return last week and quickly got back to my lifestyle here in Melbourne. My first lecture for Systems Analyst and Design. I'm a programmer when i was in Singapore and this is something that i love and hate. Love it as it shows you the overview of the system. Hate it as there is alot of work to do. Love it as is can be a plan to follow tightly when you are fully engrossed in coding. Hate it as once you screw this up and proceed to coding, you are really screwed up.

The lecture this week is about the System Design Life Cycle(SDLC). As Rob says it, it is something that every idea will go through from just words to a physical system. Well... Not all ideas eventually becomes a physical system. We gone through the phases of the SDLC, planning, analysis, design, implementation and support. Also went through the ways of going through the phases, advantages and disadvantages. Also certerin tools that we can use to develope a system.

Approaches to system development has been touched on. Ways like Structure Chart, Data Flow Diagram, Entity-Relationshop Diagram, etc. Another popular way is using Object-Oriented. Using objects in a computer system and designing it to fit together into a system. Objects have attributes and functions, or descriptions and behaviours.
Class Diagrams are also used as a way to showcase a system. And the others...

Ended the lecture in a rush... Guess the details are to be settled in own time own target(OTOT).